Pop icon Cyndi Lauper wrapped up her 68-date Girls Just Want to Have Fun Farewell Tour with two nights at the Hollywood Bowl. The star-studded concerts were captured for the television special "A GRAMMY Salute to Cyndi Lauper: Live from the Hollywood Bowl," which aired on CBS on Oct. 5 and is now streaming on Paramount+.

Every moment with Lauper on screen feels iconic: her first GRAMMY win, recording "We Are the World," immortalizing her handprints on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and even facing the Supreme Court multiple times. The special opens with a rapid montage of these milestones — alongside flashes from her colorful music videos — projected across the Hollywood Bowl shell. Before the festivities kicked off, Cher — who later joined Lauper for her signature hit, "Girls Just Want to Have Fun"— introduced viewers to the event they were about to witness. 

Whether you were in L.A. having fun with the two-time GRAMMY winner or are reliving the show from your couch, read on for five takeaways from "A GRAMMY Salute to Cyndi Lauper: Live from the Hollywood Bowl."

She Is As Much About Storytelling As Her Timeless Songs

Lauper may be best known for her songs, but storytelling — in any form — is her true gift. Between numbers, she shared tales drawn from her immigrant family, formative professional experiences, and life-changing moments with friends. After performing "I Drove All Night," she noted that, at the time, there weren’t many songs on the radio with women behind the wheel. 

"To me, it was a power song," she said. "When you can get into a car and go wherever you want — well, jeez, that’s power, ain’t it?" Whatever the subject, Lauper painted a vivid picture through her sincerity and delivery, turning the evening into a kind of one-woman show. 

She’s Got Jokes

Even when Lauper is being dead serious, there’s always an undercurrent of humor to what she says. Throughout the evening, she tossed off one-liners like, "I was a wrestling manager, so I know a few moves. Don’t try me," and launched into full-blown stories. 

Recounting her run-ins with early music executives, she acted out both sides of the exchange: First the exec: "What’s that you’re wearing? Why don’t you just wear jeans and a T-shirt?" Then herself: "Why don’t you shave your head? You’re going to go freakin’ bald anyway." She quickly clarified, "I didn’t actually say that — because, you know, I was working on my people skills." Later, she joked about her family, adding, "My cousin Vinny. Yes, most Italian families have a cousin Vinny."

Once A Fashion Icon, Always A Fashion Icon

Lauper cycled through numerous costume and hairstyle changes over the course of the concert. She opened in a KISS-meets-Mad Max chainmail-esque ensemble with exaggerated shoulders and hips, paired with a natural-looking curly wig that shifted from silver to lavender, blue, and green under the lights. Later, she appeared in an asymmetrically zipped white jacket with a long, expressive train, which doubled as a projection screen for a moving car during "I Drove All Night." She next donned a smock-like top with half a black lace bustier sewn onto the front, crediting "Project Runway" winner Geoffrey Mac for these designs. 

Then came a full transformation: a red jacket with yellow plumes and a neon yellow wig. "I opted not to wear a T-shirt and jeans," she quipped, before name-checking another "Project Runway" alum, designer extraordinaire Christian Siriano, for the rest of her looks. In one of the evening’s most theatrical moments, she changed onstage ("without any of you seeing something you cannot possibly forget") emerging in a sleek, broad-shouldered black blazer. Finally, she removed her neon wig, revealing a simple black wig cap, and somehow looked even more commanding.

She Showcased 40 Years of Musical Friendships

After decades in the industry, Lauper has some notable friends, and a wide cross-section took part in these performances. Micky Guyton sang on "Who Let in the Rain," while John Legend stepped in partway through "Time After Time," wearing a floor-length sparkly black Tom Ford jacket. The two were lit by a sea of phone lights, including those held by Lauper and Legend. 

John Wesley Rogers, Lauper’s opening act on select dates, performed "Money Changes Everything," which featured some playful faux wrestling with Lauper. Angélique Kidjo and Trombone Shorty contributed to "Iko Iko," with Shorty returning later to play on Joni Mitchell’s "Carey."

During the encore, SZA teamed up with Lauper for "True Colors," ending with the pair flying an LGBTQ flag. Dressed in matching Yayoi Kusama–inspired red polka-dot coats, which matched the projections, Lauper closed the night with Cher on "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," tweaking the lyrics to say, "Girls just want to have fundamental rights." 

An unexpected surprise came in the form of Corey Feldman and Martha Plimpton in the audience, who were featured on camera during "The Goonies ‘R’ Good Enough," the song Lauper contributed to The Goonies, in which Feldman and Plimpton starred. The moment felt especially personal when Lauper recalled seeing them as children.

She Plays Unexpected Instruments

Lauper’s strengths lie in her voice, but she shared a story about getting her first guitar — on which she could only play one song — and how she was influenced by a folk singer known for unusual tunings, before eventually turning to Joni Mitchell center stage. 

She didn’t play guitar during the evening, but she did wield a mean recorder on "She Bop." And on "Iko Iko" and her cover of Mitchell’s "Carey," she played a washboard, wearing it like yet another one of her impossibly distinctive, costume-like accessories.